Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
You did not ask me, but I will answer.
Historically speaking, whites have used the laws and the institutions of this country to oppress non-whites. Even when the prejudice was not mal-intentioned (like lowered expectations because of skin color alone), the sting of that was perpetuated across the board and felt across the board until you had a country which had written "her citizens of color a bad check," to borrow words from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Historically, blacks were simply not given the same tools, same chances, same opportunities for upward mobility in our society. That limitation was effected by a wide variety of means, and not necessarily always in concert.
RACISM is SYSTEMIC-- blacks have NEVER BEEN ABLE TO USE "THE SYSTEM" IN A WAY TO TARGET WHITES, to prevent them from voting, to stymie economic progress, to bring destruction to their families and communities. However, the results of white prejudice in this country has culminated in all of this and more for blacks in America!
Despite our TREMENDOUS PROGRESS, the realities of some blacks today are the direct results of RACISM-- that systemic racial prejudice that has plagued our country for over two hundred years.
A group of thugs beating up a white kid just because he is white is terrible-- but IT IS NOT, NEVER HAS BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE SYSTEMIC! Neither will it EVER be codified by law!
Racial prejudice is different from racism.
Both are wrong.
Racism implies POWER hatred, and ignorance.
Prejudice implies hatred and ignorance.
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Racism is along with abortion, is America's greatest sin, and Jermyn, you are correct, all of the efforts to correct the damage done by racism is extremely lacking. We each understand racism thru our only eyes and experience, I never heard my parents make a racist remark. Yet, our community has a very dark and evil history, that is buried so deep that our current citizens have no clue. It is only in the cross that we all can find repentance and healing.
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